


Stitches

by AMillionYearsForWhat



Category: Hockey - Fandom, Montreal Canadiens - Fandom, NHL - Fandom
Genre: M/M, alcohol mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-01
Updated: 2015-12-01
Packaged: 2018-05-04 09:09:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5328605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMillionYearsForWhat/pseuds/AMillionYearsForWhat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex gets a girlfriend, dumping Brendan. Nathan fixes him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stitches

“He didn't fucking want me, Nate,” Gally whispers before taking another swig of the alcohol that would help numb the pain.  
“You don't know that, Bren-”  
“Yes, I do. If he wanted me, why’d he pick her? No one wants me, and I’m just going to have to deal with that.”  
Brendan finishes his beer, immediately opening another one. Brendan’s eyes water as he looks over to Nate, appreciating his sober presence. Nate doesn't have to be drunk to take care of Brendan. He's always there for him, rubbing his back when he vomits from drinking too much, giving him Gatorade in the morning to combat the hangover. Not that Brendan would know, but Nate would find himself lying beside Gally while he slept, his fingers hesitantly finding the other boy’s face, stroking his cheek lightly while Brendan exhaled soft breaths onto Nate’s hand. Nate would fall asleep beside him, making sure to go to the couch before Brendan woke up to find them.

“I want you.”  
Brendan goes to chug his beer before stopping to stare wordlessly at the neck of the bottle. 

Nathan’s heart was beating out of his chest, almost not breathing from the nerves. “I think he's made the biggest mistake in the world to let you go. I would never let you go, Bren.”

Brendan rests his head on his forearm, “That’s the cruelest joke I've ever heard in my life, Nathan.”

“Who says I'm joking?”  
Brendan immediately glances up, his eyes meeting Nate’s, his lips slightly parted, “I love you, Bren.”

Brendan responds by closing the distance between them, one hand immediately cupping Nate’s face, the other on his neck. Brendan kisses Nathan like his life depends on it. How could he not have noticed? Nathan was always there for him, even going so far as to let him drink all his alcohol and cry himself to sleep in Nathan’s bed. Nate didn't care if anyone saw them holding hands in public. He would kiss Brendan right before they hit the ice for morning skate. He would hold his hand on the way to the car after a game. He held him after losses, made love to him after wins. He made him breakfast sometimes and wouldn't chirp him if he played old Disney Channel music on the way to practice. Brendan didn't realize that Nathan was so far gone for him, and he had been so blind. 

Alex Galchenyuk may have broken him.  
But Nathan Beaulieu reinvented him.   
Made him a new person.  
Made him love everything about the world.

That first night, Brendan held Nate like it was the only thing he had ever needed.


End file.
